74 reinell mercruiser 165

I just got a 1974 Reinell mercruiser 165 inline v6 from a friend and have called around to a few boat mechanics here in town and most will not work on the boat, too old or they will not be able to get parts is what they all say. I found one old timer who was like that is a great motor and was more then willing to take on the project will be I need a prop, a battery, siliniod and a plug from what I know about the boat and maybe some JB welds on the head. I don't want to put a bunch of money into something that I will never be able to find all the parts for or get into the water. So I am looking for a little direction as to where I might be able to find parts and just do the work myself.

you cant JB weld the head ,gets too hot

The old 250 ci L6 was a workhorse- We have one in a work boat that gets about 200 hours per season, and still runs great. Had to change the oil pump and lifters about 8-10 years ago, but that's about it for major repairs. Most "wearable" parts, and internal engine parts are available from any Merc dealer or marine parts distributor (marineengine.com is a good place to look). What parts are you looking for?